Quick Start: Example OOMMF Session

STEP 1: Start up the
mmLaunch window.

At the command prompt, when you are in the OOMMF root
directory, type

tclsh oommf.tcl

(The name of the Tcl shell, rendered here as tclsh, may
vary between systems.)
Alternatively, you may launch oommf.tcl using
whatever ``point and click'' interface is provided by your operating
system.

This will bring up a small window labeled
mmLaunch. It will come up in background mode, so you will get
another prompt in your original window, even before the
mmLaunch window appears.

STEP 2: Gain access to other useful windows.

On mmLaunch window, check the localhost box,
causing a menu of user
account boxes to appear. Then check the box corresponding
to the account you want to compute on. This gives a menu of
options:

mmArchive:
to auto-save vector field data (primitive)

mmDataTable:
to display current values of variables

mmDisp:
to display vector fields

mmGraph:
to form x-y plots

mmProbEd:
to grab/modify a problem

mmSolve2D:
to control the solver

Click on mmDisp, mmGraph, and/or
mmDataTable, depending on what form of output you
want.

STEP 3: Load a problem.

On mmLaunch window, click on the mmProbEd button.

On mmProbEd window, make menu selection
File|Open... An Open File dialog window
will appear.

On this window:

Double click in the Path subwindow to change
directories. Several sample problems can be found in
the directory oommf/app/mmpe/examples.

To load a problem, double click on a *.mif file
(e.g., prob1.mif) from the list above the Filter:
subwindow.

Modify the problem as desired by clicking on buttons from
the main mmProbEd window (e.g., Material
Parameters), and fill out the pop-up forms. A
completely new problem may be defined this way.

STEP 4: Initialize the solver.

On mmLaunch window, click on the mmSolve2D button
to launch an instance of the program
mmSolve2D.

Wait for the new solver instance to appear in the
Threads column in the mmLaunch window.

Check the box next to the mmSolve2D entry in the
Threads column. A window containing an
mmSolve2D interface will appear.

On mmSolve2D window:

Check Problem Description under Inputs.

Check mmProbEd under Source Threads.

Click LoadProblem.

A status line will indicate the problem is loading.

When the problem is fully loaded, more buttons appear.

Check Scheduled Outputs.

For each desired output (TotalField, Magnetization,
and/or DataTable), specify the frequency of update:

Check desired output.
This will exhibit the possible output destinations in
Destination Threads. Output applications such
as mmDisp, mmGraph, and/or mmDataTable
must be running to appear in this list.

Check the box next to the desired Destination Thread.
This will exhibit Schedule options.

If you requested mmDataTable output, check the boxes for the
desired quantities on the
mmDataTable window under
the Data menu, so that they appear and are updated as
requested in your schedule.

Similarly, check the box for the desired X, Y1, and Y2
variables on the mmGraph
window(s) under the X, Y1 and Y2 menus.

STEP 6: Saving results.

Vector field data (magnetization and effective field) may be
interactively written to disk using
mmDisp, or may be
automatically saved via scheduled output to
mmArchive. For example, to
save the magnetization state at each control point, start up
an instance of mmArchive and select the ControlPoint check box for
mmArchive on the Magnetization schedule in the
solver. This may be done before starting the calculation.
(Control points are points in the simulation where the applied
field is stepped. These are typically
equilibrium states, but
depending on the input *.mif file, may be triggered by
elapsed simulation time or iteration count.)

DataTable data may be saved using
mmGraph. Schedule
output from the solver to mmGraph
as desired, and use either the interactive or automated save
functionality of mmGraph. You can setup the solver data
scheduling before the calculation is started, but must wait
for the first data point to configure mmGraph before
saving any data. As a workaround, you may configure
mmGraph by sending it the initial solver state
interactively, and then use the Options|clear
Data menu item in mmGraph to remove the initializing
data point. Alternatively, you may send scheduled output from
the solver to mmArchive,
which will automatically save all the data it receives.

STEP 7: Perform midcourse controls as desired.

On the mmSolve2D window, buttons can stop and restart the
calculation:

Reset: Return to beginning of problem.

LoadProblem: Restart with a new problem.

Run: Apply a sequence of fields until all complete.

Relax: Run the ODE at the current applied field until
the next control point is reached.

Pause: Click anytime to stop the solver. Restart
with Run or Relax.

Field-: Apply the previous field again.

Field+: Apply the next field in the list.

Output options can be changed and new output windows opened.

STEP 8: Exit OOMMF.

On the mmSolve2D window, terminate the simulation with
Exit.

Terminate each mmArchive instance by hitting
the Exit button in its user interface window.